Our Blog
Let's See What We Can Learn
Our Blog
Let's See What We Can Learn
Saturday Sillies​
Saturday Sillies​
May 2, 2020
Saturday Sillies ...
Best $4 ever spent, just gotta say. I picked up this multifunctional water sprayer at the ol' dollar store, and the dogs had an absolute blast with it. If your dog loves playing in water, you might consider getting one of these sprinklers or something similar. You do want to monitor them to make sure they don't overdo it or make too much of a mess. Go spend a few bucks and have loads of fun!
#NetsHappyPets #PuppyPlayCamp #dogsofinstagram #EnrichmentToysForDogs
Meet The Breed Monday
Meet The Breed Monday
April 27, 2020
Meet The Breed Monday ... Meet the Dalmatian
- Breed: Dalmatian
- Size: 19-24 inches, 45-70 pounds.
- Common Colors: Dals are known for their black and white spots, however, they come in a few spot colors other than black including lemon, liver, and tri or brindle spots.
- AKC Group: Non-sporting
- Bred For: Coach dog bred to trot alongside horse drawn carriages and protect them
- Description: Bred almost to the point of ruin in the early 2000s, this well known but less common breed is making a comeback. They are extremely athletic and are bred to run for long distances. They have immense endurance and stamina. Their feet are compact and hard, and their gate is smooth, effortless, and efficient. Dals can keep some of their protective instincts and be aloof with strangers. Dalmatians are intelligent and sensitive and benefit most from early training and socialization. These were bred to move and be athletic so they need quite a bit of exercise to keep them healthy and happy.
- Interesting Facts: Dalmatian puppies are born without spots. Their spots come in slowly as they get older. Because of their striking appearance and comfort around horses, they became synonymous with horse drawn fire engines, a connection that remains today. Dals were also historically found to wander with gypsies bands.
- Disclaimer: Meet The Breed Monday is all about meeting new breeds and learning new information about our friends. Please, keep in mind that not all dogs follow their breed standard manual. This information is merely for educational purposes.
What's New Wednesday
What's New Wednesday
April 19, 2020
Over the next 8 Wednesdays, we’ll discuss the 7 different breed groups along with what AKC calls their misc and foundation stock categories. We’ll chat about what these individual breed groups' original jobs were along with how those original intended purposes affect many of these breeds in their modern day lives. Please, remember that not all dogs follow the manual, and this information is for educational purposes only.
- Breed Group: Working Group
- Original Purpose: Working dogs were bred for a variety of purposes, all to assist man. Some were bred to pull sleds or perform snow or water rescues while some were bred to protect life, property, or livestock (this is a different task than herding livestock).
- Modern Day Dogs: A few of these modern day dogs, mostly the livestock guardian dogs, are still used for their originally intended purposes. Almost all of these dogs are very large and very heavy with strong wills, stable and even temperaments, and a protective instinct. They were all bred to work, and they generally maintain that high work drive. These dogs need to be kept busy with something to do. They often become overly protective and destructive when bored.
- Training: While some of these breeds do make excellent family pets, many of these dogs retain their original working instincts and need to be in homes where they can perform a job, preferably one similar to their original intended purposes. Due to their size and often formiddable temperaments, most of these breeds would not be suitable for a novice or first time owner. Because many of these dogs were bred to work side-by-side with humans, they are generally considered very trainable. Some, mostly the livestock guardian dogs like the Pyrenees and Kuvasz, would be an exception to this rule, due directly to the fact that these dogs’ jobs often had little or no human direction. Because of their size, it is easy to slip into harsher, punishment based methods. This is a mistake, however, as these dogs are often very sensitive and need to trust their handlers.
- Interesting Facts: All of these dogs are large, not just in height but also in musculature, the smallest in the group being the Standard Schnauzer and the German Pinscher. This group has some easily recognizable breeds like the Husky, Rottweiler, Boxer, and Doberman Pinscher as well as lesser known breeds like the Chinook, the Kuvasz, and the Lenoberger. Possibly the biggest surprise is the very large, very hairy Newfoundland that has been bred for generations as a spectacular water rescue dog. Many fans of the breed say that these dogs seem to know in advance when a swimmer is starting to get distressed and tired. The Akita is reveered in Japan as a national treasure. Some of these dogs, including the Dogue de Bordeaux, Boerboel, and Cane Corso, were relatively unknown outside their countries of origin until recently. Incidentally, all three of these breeds have the mostly commonly mispronounced breed names.